Hidden Veggie Mac and Cheese

veggie mac and cheese in a bowl on a counter

Enjoy this healthy, kid-friendly mac and cheese with veggies for a quick, comforting meal. It's made in one pot with frozen vegetables!

Course Dinner, Main Course

Cuisine American

Prep Time 5

Cook Time 40

Total Time 45

Servings

Calories 550kcal

Author Lizzie Streit, MS, RDN

Ingredients

1 cup frozen cauliflower florets
1 cup frozen bell peppers
1 cup frozen sweet corn
1 cup frozen butternut squash
3 cups milk of choice; divided
1 tablespoon butter
½ teaspoon onion powder
¼ teaspoon garlic powder
3 cups dried macaroni can use elbow, bowtie, or other short pastas
2 cups sharp cheddar cheese freshly grated or pre-shredded

Instructions

In a large pot, bring 1 inch of water to a boil. Insert a vegetable steamer basket and place the frozen cauliflower, bell peppers, corn, and butternut squash in the basket. Cover and cook for 8 to 10 minutes until the vegetables are fork-tender.
Transfer the cooked vegetables to a blender. Pour in ½ cup of the milk. Blend until smooth, adding splashes of water or milk as needed to promote blending. See notes for using an immersion blender instead if desired.
Drain the water you used for steaming the vegetables from the pot. Pour the vegetable mixture into the pot. Add the rest of the milk, butter, onion powder, and garlic powder. Bring the mixture to a boil, then quickly reduce the heat to maintain a gentle simmer (you don't want to scorch the milk). Add the pasta to the pot. Cook, stirring frequently to prevent scorching, for anywhere from 8 to 20 minutes until the pasta is tender. You may need to add some splashes of milk or water throughout the cooking process if you think the liquid is getting too low in the pot. Cooking time will vary based on the type of pasta you use, so check for doneness at 7 or 8 minutes and go from there. I have found that elbow pasta cooks very quickly in the sauce, while bowtie pasta takes a while longer.
When the noodles are cooked to you liking, remove the pot from heat. Stir in the cheddar cheese. The sauce should be thick and creamy. If you want to thin the sauce, add some splashes of water or milk and stir until it's your desired consistency. Serve and enjoy!
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Notes

Cooking modifications: If you don't have a steamer basket, you can boil the vegetables in a pot of water for 5 to 6 minutes instead. If you don't want to use an upright blender, you can also drain the pot of the water you used for steaming the vegetables, put the cooked vegetables in there, add the milk, and use an immersion blender to puree.
Substitutions: If you are going to substitute vegetables, stick with pumpkin or other winter squash, yellow summer squash, or sweet potatoes to keep the color of the sauce similar to cheese. You can use any milk of choice, including cows or plant-based options. You can sub half or all of the cheese with gruyere, gouda, fontina, or parmesan depending on your preferences. Elbow macaroni, bowtie pasta, shells, fusilli, and other short pastas all work well. You can also use chickpea or legume-based pasta for a gluten free option.
Leftovers: This dish is best enjoyed right away but can be kept in an airtight container in the fridge for a few days. Reheat in the microwave.

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